LAPEL — Five games in four days challenged the Lapel softball team, but the wins and losses are preparing the Bulldogs for a fast-approaching sectional showdown with Frankton.
In action Friday, May 10, the Bulldogs allowed Knightstown to get on the board first with a run in the second inning.
However, that was the only run for the visitors, as pitcher Chloe Bousman picked up a 12-1 win in 6 innings.
“I think Chloe pitched a great game,” coach Scott Rich said. “She’s starting to throw really well for us.”
Through 79 innings pitched, Bousman had allowed only six walks.
“She’s shown good command, good poise, good confidence, and she’s doing a really good job in the circle for us,” Rich said.
With Avery Bailey on second base, Taylor Williams’ walk-off home run ended the game.
In the fourth inning, Madi Carpenter blasted a three-run homer to give the Bulldogs a 6-1 advantage.
“The bats came around,” Rich said.
While the Panthers got on base six times, they could not convert against the Lapel defense.
After knocking off fifth-ranked Tipton last week, the Bulldogs lost 7-0 at home May 8 to Anderson but came back the next night to take down visiting Wapahani 11-1.
Avery Bailey got the win for the Bulldogs.
Carpenter went 3-for-3 at the plate and had 2 RBI. Kylie Rich also had three hits and two RBI for Lapel.
At Shenandoah on May 11, the Bulldogs split a doubleheader the Raiders.
Lapel held a 4-2 lead midway through the sixth inning of the first game, but the Raiders scored four runs in the bottom of the inning to go ahead for the 6-4 win.
Bousman hit a three-run homer for the Bulldogs.
In Game 2, 14 hits for the Bulldogs overpowered the Raiders for a 9-4 Lapel win.
Avery Bailey picked up another win, while Addie Bailey, Lily Daniels and Hayley Granger accounted for nine hits with three apiece.
“I feel good,” Rich said. “We talked going into the week, and it was going to be a tough week. We wanted to try to run the table, but we had a little hiccup with Anderson.”
The Bulldogs are 12-8. After a Monday cancellation at Yorktown, the team played host to Cardinal Ritter on May 14 (after press time) and play their final game of the season at home May 15 against Alexandria-Monroe.
Lapel travels to Frankton for a Class 2A sectional game against the Frankton Eagles. The game begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 21.
